


can't keep doing this

by SmittyJaws



Series: 50 ways to say "I love you" [6]
Category: Led Zeppelin
Genre: Angst, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26723641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittyJaws/pseuds/SmittyJaws
Summary: Prompt from50 Wordless Ways to Say “I Love You”32. Wrapping a blanket around them when they are sitting on the couch and watching a show.
Relationships: John Paul Jones/Original Female Character(s)
Series: 50 ways to say "I love you" [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757476
Kudos: 5





	can't keep doing this

**Author's Note:**

> This one's a bit more of a loose interpretation of the prompt, but it was still inspired by it anyway, so I figured it still belonged in this series. Enjoy!

“I can’t believe you managed to _fracture your ribs_ ,” Jay frets, bustling around the hotel room once Jonesy’s returned from being looked at by a doctor. “You haven’t even done anything that could have led to that!”

“I suppose these things just happen sometimes,” Jonesy shrugs, but the movement quickly turns into a pained grimace as it aggravates the pain in his side. “It’s unfortunate, but I’ll be alright.”

“These things don’t just _happen_ ,” Jay stresses, helping to get Jonesy sitting comfortably on the sofa in front of the TV. “Not in the modern world. You’re in good health.”

“Am I, though?” Jonesy asks, tilting his head to face Jay better as she goes to collect the painkillers he’s been prescribed and the book he’s been reading. “You already know how this tour’s been more difficult.”

Jay pauses briefly at that before continuing on with her task, because they both know he’s right. The long days, the breakneck schedule, the sleepless nights... it’s wearing on him, and he can tell.

Jonesy doesn’t believe in superstition the way some of the others do, but he wonders if maybe this is a sign. Maybe he needs to get out now before this runs him into the ground more than it already has.

He knows Jay would probably like that; she’s really had to uproot herself, coming along and traveling with him so often, and while he knows she’s enjoyed being able to be together with him, it’d also be nice to just properly settle into a place of their own.

He could go back to studio work again. More producing, more collaboration with other artists... it’s not like he’ll be hard up for work if he stops with Zeppelin, but he’ll be able to dictate his own schedule a bit more.

There’s the sound of movement, and Jonesy hears Jay sigh as she returns, pills and glass of water in one hand, and his book in the other. She sets them down on the table nearby before gingerly sitting down on the sofa beside him, careful not to make any sudden movements that might jar him.

“I’m just worried, is all,” she whispers, glancing over at Jonesy. “These things don’t just happen. They _shouldn’t_ just happen. Not at your age; you’re still a few years away from 30, for God’s sake. But if it’s a stress thing...”

She trails off, leaving the rest unsaid. Jonesy knows she’ll support whatever decision he makes over this; always has, even if she does have opinions on how ruthlessly their management pushes them (which Jonesy has to admit, she’s not entirely wrong about).

But what _does_ he want? He likes playing with Zeppelin. He likes what he does. And yet, the bad flu, the fatigue, the stress, and now this? It’s beginning to really weigh heavily on him.

He looks down at his torso, where Jay is also looking, and if it weren’t for his shallower, slightly uneven breathing, he’d almost swear nothing was wrong. But something _is_ wrong, and unless he does something about it, it won’t get better.

“Will they at least give you time to try and rest a little?” Jay asks, fidgeting with her hands.

Oh, he had hoped she wouldn’t ask that. He knows she’s not going to like the answer. “...about that.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jay’s expression turns to a frown. “Not even for _fractured ribs_?”

“We’ve got a show tomorrow.” He gestures helplessly.

“So they can find someone else. They did it when you had the flu.”

“And for the rest of the dates?” He doesn’t like it any more than she does, but it’s not as though they’ll really bring someone else to cover the rest of this tour leg, and they certainly won’t cancel. Not for him. “I don’t think it’s a good idea either, but I rather have to.”

“This is just asking for trouble.” Her frown grows. “What if it makes you get worse?”

Jonesy shrugs, then winces as it aggravates the pain in his side. “I’m already sitting at the piano for half the setlist anyway; if I have to sit for more, then I will. Go a little bit easier when we go for walks. I’m sure I’ll be alright.”

“I suppose.” Jay sounds sceptical, but doesn’t push after that. “I don’t mean to sound like your mum or anything. I’m just worried; this tour is really doing you in.”

Honestly? It really is, and though he’s put on an optimistic face about the remaining tour dates, it’s becoming more and more obvious in his mind that this isn’t healthy for him. He’d recovered from the flu relatively well, yes, but it had been a harder battle than it really should have been, and what with his sleep schedule and stress being all over the place, he wonders when it might happen again.

And now this? Any other setback on top of this will make things worse, and Jonesy doesn’t fancy the idea of being laid up for weeks and months over something that could have been prevented.

With that in mind, he makes his decision. “Maybe this’ll be my last tour, then.”

Jay’s eyes widen. “You mean...?”

He nods. “I can’t keep doing this, like you said. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, about making this decision, and it’s one I don’t take lightly. Think about it,” he reaches over, taking her hand in his, “we could finally properly move into the house we bought. Hang up the pictures and everything like we’ve been talking about.”

He chuckles at his own joke, but Jay’s not laughing. She looks down at their joined hands before looking back up at his face, expression troubled.

“...and this isn’t just because of me worrying?” she asks. “That’s a big decision to make, and I don’t want you to make it just because of me.”

“We’re married; I rather think I’m allowed to make decisions factored around your opinion,” Jonesy teases, before his expression turns serious too and he shakes his head. “But no, I’ve been thinking about it myself, and this is just the straw on the camel’s back.” He gestures at himself with his free hand.

“If you’re sure this is what you want,” Jay repeats. “When will you tell them, then?”

“Probably at the end of the leg. No sense saying anything before then,” Jonesy decides. “Then they can start thinking about it before the second leg, and after that, I’ll be done.”

“Just like that?” Jay asks. “No more tours. No more Zeppelin.”

“No more Zeppelin.” Jonesy nods, reaching for the throw blanket nearby and frowning when it’s just out of his reach without straining. “Would you—?”

“Oh, yes, of course!” Jay takes the blanket and hands it to him, spreading it over his legs herself to save him the trouble.

“Seems so odd,” she muses, carefully tucking the blanket around him. “All that work. All that time; just stopping like that. What’ll you do then?”

“Well, first, I think a holiday might be in order.” Jonesy smiles, pulling Jay towards his uninjured side carefully, holding her as close as he dares without aggravating his ribs. “Just you and I, off to someplace quiet where we can have some time to ourselves. Maybe we can go visit California again; I know how much you liked it there.”

“That would be nice,” Jay murmurs, still a bit tense as she leans in, but gradually relaxing. “We could spend more than two days there. But what about afterwards? Holidays can’t last forever, unfortunately.”

“Studio work.” He shrugs. “I like doing it, I’m good at it. Why not go back to that?”

“Really? Stepping down from ‘John Paul Jones, bassist and keyboardist for Led Zeppelin’, to ‘John Paul Jones, session man’?” A corner of her mouth quirks up. “Oh, the humility.”

“It’ll be worth it if I’m not getting injured like this, or that sick again. Nothing is worth that.”

“Wonder how the others will take that news,” Jay muses, leaning in further towards Jonesy at his gentle insistence. “They likely won’t be happy. I know Jimmy won’t be.”

“Let me worry about that,” Jonesy tells her, carefully leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s my conversation to have with them, not yours.”

“Mm. I definitely don’t envy you for that.” Jay shakes her head, before indicating the television. “Anyway, want to watch something? Or leave it be and you’ll read your book?”

“Might as well see what sort of local programming they’ve got.” Jonesy nods, reaching for the remote carefully. “Though I don’t think anything will be more entertaining than whatever we watched in Florida. Watching the news about the Florida Man stories is funnier than any staged show.”

He snickers, wincing when the movement makes his side hurt. “Actually, maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

“You alright?” Jay sits up slightly, concerned.

“I’m alright.” Jonesy huffs out a shallow breath. “Just... laughing hurts right now.”

“Yeah, maybe watching telly’s not a good idea, then.”

“Probably not.”

It’s quiet after that; the room silent except for the sounds of the air conditioner running and the clock on the dresser ticking, but somehow that’s alright; it’s not a luxury he’s been afforded a lot of with this lifestyle. Jay curls back up into Jonesy’s side once he’s indicated he’ll be alright and he’s happy to just sit there with her, enjoying the silence.

A part of him does dread having the conversation with the rest of the band and management about what he’s going to do, but he knows it’ll be for the best in the long run. The band can find another bassist if they want to continue (although a small selfish part of him wishes that they’ll say Zeppelin isn’t possible without him there), and he’ll be happier in the long run.

No more incessant touring with only 1-2 months off at most between (and even then, that time off being allocated for recording albums). No more excessively late nights and early mornings. No more last-minute schedule changes constantly messing around with things (okay, maybe _that_ one’s not as preventable, but it’ll still be a much smaller scale). No more constantly changing timezones destroying his sleep schedule and leaving him exhausted beyond what the long hours already do.

Just him, his life, and whatever he wants to do going forward. Whatever that might be.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also @smittyjaws on Tumblr!


End file.
